Tray and method of making same



1960 e. A. LYON, JR 2,963,197

my AND mz'moo OF MAKING SAME Filed Feb. s. 1958 Fig.1

[27 an far" Gzoecs fl. A row, cfe.

fizq 171/575.

. to shape.

TRAY AND METHOD OF MAKING SAlVIE George A. Lyon, Jr., 13881 W. ChicagoBlvd., Detroit 28, Mich.

Filed Feb. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 712,984

6 Claims. (Cl. 220-74) This invention relates generally to a trayconstruction and method of making same which tray may be used as a meatplatter or for any other suitable purpose.

The tray is adapted to be manufactured from sheet metal stock from whichtray blanks are cut and formed As is illustrated, the tray is dished andthe margin of the tray has been particularly constructed according tocertain features of the present invention. To this end, the margin has aperipheral edge comprised of a double thickness of metal which operatesto greatly reinforce the tray structure and to increase its life span.The double thickness of metal at the margin is brought about by reversebending the material at the periphery of the dished blank with the bentor deflected portion welded to an inner portion of the tray andthereafter abraded or buffed about the weld area to impart to the traythe appearance that the tray was cast or molded, and the like, asopposed to being made from relatively inexpensive sheet stock. Inaddition to the foregoing, by utilizing a U-shaped double thickness ofmetal at the tray margin, the peripheral edge of the tray may be groundor otherwise finished in a manner so as not to expose the parting linebetween the abutted legs of the U-shaped portion of the tray margin. Bythis expedient, the true construction of the tray may be effectivelyconcealed while the tray margin may be considerably reinforced. Stillanother advantage of the present construction resides in the fact theextra thickness of metal is here disclosed as being utilized on the topside of the margin so that a greater volume of meat juices and the likemay be contained over an enlarged area should they fall upon the traymargin inward of the double thickness of metal.

According to the objects of the present invention there is provided anew and improved serving tray construction and method of manufacturingthe same.

According to another object of the present invention, a new and improvedserving tray construction has been provided which may be manufacturedfrom sheet stock and yet has the appearance of being cast ormanufactured in some other more expensive manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved foodplatter construction and method of manufacturing the same which lendsitself to economical manufacture on a large production basis.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved method of manufacturing trays from sheet stock whereby a verylow unit cost of manufacture may be vmaintained.

Other objects and features of the present invention will more fullybecome apparent in view of the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating therein a singleembodiment and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view or a top elevation of a serving tray;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on theline IIII of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustratingthe tray in a preliminary stage of formation;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view in full anddotted lines illustrating a more subsequent stage of manufacture;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the outer marginof the partially completed tray or platter;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view similar toFigure 4 only wherein the peripheral edge of the tray is machined orabraded and where the weld seam has been abraded; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view highlighting theunderside of the tray margin following the abrading operation wherebythe weld line is concealed.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 in Figure 1 indicates generally my platter ortray construction. The platter 10 may be most economically manufacturedfrom sheet stock such as stainless steel and the like. Initially, adished blank 11 is cut from the strip stock and is formed in a mannerhereinafter described in detail.

The dished tray blank 11 includes a central dished area or portion 12which may be suitably embossed if desired to provide recesses for meatdrippings and the like. At the outer periphery of the bowl or dishedportion 12 is provided an annular marginal flange structure 13. Theflange structure 13 includes an inner marginal portion 14 and an outerprescribed flange structure 15. The peripheral flange structure 15 has agenerally U-shaped cross-section when formed to final shape as isapparent from Figures 2, 4, and 5 and wherein the legs are identified at15a, 15b, and the junction of the legs at 150.

During the formation of the tray blank 11 the leg 15a is partiallyoflset out of the plane of the marginal portion 14 and is joinedtherewith by an inclined annular leg 16. Generally at the same time theleg 15b is turned generally at right angles with respect to the leg 15a;The peripheral flange area is particularly divided in a manner wherebythe length of the leg 15b is predetermined in a,

manner so that its outer edge 15d will be abuttingly engaged against theinclined annular leg 16 for purposes which will hereafter becomeapparent. Following the preliminary formation of the marginal area ofthe tray blank, the leg 15b is turned in a manner whereby it is disposedin a plane common to the inner marginal portion 14 and is abuttedagainst the under surface of the leg portion 15a along parting line 15dso that the edge 15e is abutted against the inclined leg 16 at shoulder16a along annular junction line 17.

In order to maintain the leg 15b in abutment against the leg 15a and theedge He in abutment with the shoulder 16a, the leg 15b is preferablywelded in assembly with the surface area it is abutted against as isshown in Figure 6. The welding process may be eifectuated in anysuitable manner such as by an electric arc welding type process and thelike.

Either before or after the welding operation, the rounded outer marginaledge disposed at the bottom of the U as indicated at 150, may besuitably ground or abraded flat as indicated at 15 This grinding orabrading operation is controlled in a manner whereby a portion of thebottom of the U is allowed to remain as a link between the legs 15a and15b and whereby the portion is also allowed to remain to provide meansfor concealing the parting line 15d.

As is evident in Figure 5, the annular junction line 17 is apparent fromthe bottom side of the tray and which junction line 17 is subsequentlyobscured by the weld between the edge 15a and the shoulder 16a (Figure6). The final operation in the manufacture of my tray involves abradingor bufling the area of the weld in order to impart a smooth unblemishedappearance to the underneath surface of the margin 13 in a manner as isshown in Figures 6 and 7. In view of the foregoing it will now beappreciated how a reinforced sheet metal tray may be provided and howthe double flange tray margin construction may be eflectively concealedto greatly enhance the overall appearance of the sheet metal tray.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. In a method of making a dish shaped sheet metal tray from a trayblank of sheet material having a thickened margin comprised of a doublethickness of sheet metal and which is finished in a manner as to appearto be formed in some other more expensive manner, the steps of upsettingby laterally offsetting the marginal area of the sheet metal tray blankso that it lies in a plane laterally oflset from the plane of the innertray area disposed inwardly thereof and immediately adjacent theretowhile folding and reverse bending the outermost peripheral area of themarginal area out of the plane of the marginal area and into the planeof the inner tray area disposed inwardly and immediately adjacent to themarginal area, welding the junction between the reverse bent peripheralarea and the tray area disposed inwardly and immediately adjacent of thelaterally offset marginal area,

' be formed in some other more expensive manner, the

steps of upsetting by laterally offsetting the marginal area of thesheet metal tray blank so that it lies in a plane laterally offset fromthe plane of the inner tray area disposed inwardly thereof andimmediately adjacent thereto while reverse bending the outermostperipheral area of the marginal area out of the plane of the marginalarea and into the plane of the inner tray area disposed inwardly andimmediately adjacent to the marginal area and while contemporaneouslyabutting the reverse bent peripheral area adjacent the ofiset marginalarea leaving the bend at the outer marginal edge of the tray, weldingthe junction between the reverse bent peripheral area and the tray areadisposed inwardly and immediately adjacent of the laterally offsetmarginal area, abrading the welded seam area blending the outer surfacesof the tray at the locale of the weld and abrading the outer marginaledge of the tray flat with the parting line between the peripheral andoffset marginal areas remaining concealed inwardly of the flat edgesurface.

3. In a method of making a dish shaped sheet metal tray from a trayblank of sheet material having a thickened margin comprised of a doublethickness of sheet metal and which is finished in a manner as to appearto be formed in some other more expensive manner, the steps of upsettingby laterally offsetting the: marginal area of the sheet metal tray blankso that it lies in an oflset plane laterally ofiset from the plane ofthe inner tray area disposed inwardly thereof and immediately adjacentthereto while folding and reverse bending the outermost peripheral areaof the marginal area out of the offset plane of the marginal area andinto the plane of the inner tray area disposed inwardly and immediatelyadjacent to the marginal area while contemporaneously abutting thereverse bent peripheral area against marginal area in superimposedrelation, welding the junction between the reverse bent peripheral areaand the tray area disposed inwardly and immediately adjacent of thelaterally offset marginal area, and abrading the welded seam area toblend the outer surfaces of the welded areas.

4. A serving tray comprised of a dished piece of sheet metal with thedished piece of sheet metal including an integral depending marginalflange area, the marginal flange area comprising a marginal flange and aperipheral flange structure connected thereto, said peripheral flangestructure including U-shaped upper and lower superimposed legs with oneof the legs oflset vertically from the plane of the marginal flange areaand with the bottom of the U comprising the outer marginal edge of thetray, said legs being abutted along their length, one of the legs havingits inner end formed integral with the marginal flange and togethercomprising a fragment of the dished piece of sheet metal from which thetray is formed, the other of the legs lying in the same plane as themarginal flange, and a weld joint joining the other of the legs and themarginal flange with the surface area of the weld joint seam beingsmoothed in a manner obliterating the weld joint seam.

5. A serving tray comprised of a dished piece of sheet metal with thedished piece of sheet metal including an integral depending marginalflange area, the marginal flange area comprising a marginal flange and aperipheral flange structure connected thereto, said peripheral flangestructure including U-shaped upper and lower superimposed legs, one ofthe legs being ofiset from the plane of the marginal flange area andwith the bottom of the U comprising an outer marginal edge of the tray,said legs being abutted along their length inwardly of the bottom of theU and having a parting line therebetween, one of the legs having itsinner end formed integral with the marginal flange and togethercomprising a fragment of the dished piece of sheet metal from which thetray is formed, the other of the legs lying in the same plane as themarginal flange and a weld joint between the other of the legs and themarginal flange with the surface area of the Weld joint being smoothedin a manner obliterating the weld joint, the outer marginal edge of thetray being generally flat with the parting line being concealed by anddisposed inwardly of the bottom of the U.

6. A serving tray comprised of a piece of sheet metal with the piece ofsheet metal including an integral depending marginal fiange area, theflange area being peripherally bounded by an annular marginal edge, themarginal flange area comprising a marginal flange and a peripheralflange structure connected thereto, said peripheral flange structureincluding U-shaped upper and lower superimposed legs with one of thelegs oflset vertically from the plane of the marginal flange area andwith the bottom of the U comprising the outer marginal edge of the tray,said legs being abutted along their length, one of the legs having itsinner end formed integral with the marginal flange and togethercomprising a fragment of the dished piece of sheet metal from which thetray is formed, the other of the legs lying in the same plane as themarginal flange, and a weld joint joining the other of the legs and themarginal flange with the surface area of the weld joint seam beingsmoothed in a manner obliterating the weld joint seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS168,662 Milligan Oct. 11, 1875 193,116 Hamilton July 17, 1877 1,468,877Colsman Sept. 25, 1923 2,573,736 Scavullo Nov. 6, 1951 2,573,737Scavullo Nov. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,265 Great Britain of 1886

